BARC proposing revisions to city ordinances that are detrimental to animals

Houston, TX – On October 1, 2013, there will be a meeting to discuss BARC’s (Houston’s high kill pound) proposed revisions to Houston city ordinances. I am still reading the proposed revisions (since it is such short notice, I wanted to get this information out ASAP) but I have already seen that many of the proposed revisions would be very deterimental animals in Houston, such as lumping feral cats into the same category as “wounded” animals and stating that they should be killed immediately (Section 6-7).

Some of their proposals are just lipstick on a pig such a changing their name to try to fool the public into thinking that they are a “shelter” not a high kill pound.

And I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that none of what I’ve read so far creates legislation that would help save more lives as the Companion Animal Protection Act does in the cities and states where it has been passed.

No, in fact, most of what I’ve read of BARC’s proposed revisions gives BARC more authority to impound animals.

Considering that BARC is already a very high pound, had a kill rate of over 57% in 2012, and their kill rate has increased every year for the last 3 years, more power to impound animals is the LAST thing that we, and the animals of Houston, need.

Please read BARC’s proposed revisions (click here) and compare their proposals to legislation that would actually help save animals (click here) , then please attend the meeting. RSVP information is listed in the email below that was sent out to a select group of people notifying them of the meeting.

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“BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions administers regulations concerning animals within the City of Houston through Chapter 6 of the Code of Ordinances. Currently, BARC is considering revisions to Chapter 6. While some of the changes are administrative, others warrant feedback from stakeholders like you.

On Tuesday, October 1, BARC invites you to join a discussion among local pet businesses, rescue groups and other interested individuals regarding the new revisions. This meeting precedes a City Council Committee meeting on Chapter 6 scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

WHO: The City of Houston’s BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions

WHAT: Stakeholders meeting on revisions to Chapter 6 in the City’s Code of Ordinances

Please feel free to review the document prior to the meeting to prepare questions or comments relating to the ordinance. The majority of the conversation will likely surround pages 39-48 in the draft. Please note that items in the draft that are crossed out indicate language that is removed in the revised ordinance and items underlined are additions.

This meeting will help us ensure that the changes reflect the goals of rescues groups such as yours, especially as it relates to the health and well-being of animals. We welcome any and all feedback you may have on the proposed changes.

If you have any questions prior to the meeting, please feel free to call 832-393-8503 or email Christopher.Newport@houstontx.gov. If you plan to attend the meeting, please RSVP by sending an email to Chris.”

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Nina, I agree that puppymills need to be put out of business, but that has nothing to do with the subject of this blog. The subject is the city of Houston and their taxpayer funded animal control facility, BARC, creating ordinances that will cause MORE pets to be impounded. BARC already kills (or loses) 57% of the animals that end up in their clutches. The last thing that we need is more ordinances giving them additional power to impound and kill animals. There are now over 500 cities and towns who have become No Kill communities, saving 90% and more of all animals entering their doors (and those communities are doing this even though there are puppymills in their communities as well).

There is absolutely no good reason that BARC is saving only 43%. The only reason that BARC is still killing thousands of adoptable animals is LEADERSHIP. That means the mayor who has totally failed to keep her No Kill promises. She has failed to hire leadership that will work hard to save lives. She has let them continue the status quo of killing. LEADERSHIP is the cause of the high kill rates at BARC. We voters can rectify this problem during November’s elections.